NCAA collegiate champion
wrestler (1985) and World
Shuai Jiao Kung Fu champion (1997). Today, he manages a very successful internet business selling Books and videos about
Wrestling,
martial arts,
fitness and
flexibility.
Some of his major achievements include:
state runner-up in the Class 3A Iowa High School State Wrestling Championships, wrestling for Olypic gold Medalist Dan Gable 1981-1984
Wrestled at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania 1984
Won NCAA II national title under the tutelage of Mike DeAnna and two time Olympic Gold Medalist Bruce Baumgartner in 1985
Won Gold Medal at World Shuai Jiao Tournament in Beijing, becoming first American to win a Gold Medal 1997
Met and began training under Karl Gotch, "the God of pro wrestling in Japan" in 1999
Having been wrestling since age eight, Furey took to grappling arts like a fish to water. His current passion is Catch-as-catch-can or Catch wrestling. Frequently published in Inside Kung Fu, Grappling, and Black Belt magazines, Furey is well known in grappling circles as a real live badass.
Matt Furey's most recognizable dent left on the Martial arts world is his introduction to Bodyweight Exercises, such as the Hindu pushup (also known in yoga as the Dand), hindu squat (aka Baithak), and the back bridge. These three comprise what Furey calls The Royal Court. Like The big three in weightlifting, (squat/deadlift/bench press) The Royal Court hits all your major muscle groups and fatigues you quicker than you might think. These exercises, detailed in his book Combat conditioning, are what made the Great Gama so huge, and he didn't lift weights, just did thousands of baithaks and dands every day.
source: Mattfurey.com/bio.htm, wrestlingmuseum.com